Monday, March 2, 1959 : THE EVERLY BROTHERS record their
next single in Nashville : Poor Jenny / Take A Message To Mary
(Cadence 1364). Backing by Chet Atkins, Ray Edenton and Hank
Garland (guitars), Lightnin' Chance (bass), Buddy Harman (drums)
and Marvin Hughes (piano). A third song, "Oh True Love", did not
get a release on Cadence, but was rerecorded in 1960 for the Everly's
first Warner Bros LP.

March 4, 1959 : NEIL SEDAKA records "You Gotta Learn Your Rhythm
and Blues" (soon to be his next single, RCA 45-7530) and "You Belong
To Me", a track for his first LP, which was also used as the B-side of
"Next Door To An Angel" (RCA 47-8086) in 1962. Personnel includes 
King Curtis on sax, Kenny Burrell and Everett Barksdale on guitars and
Sticks Evans on drums. There are eight pages of photographs from
this session in the Bear Family book. The B-side of "You Gotta Learn..",
"Crying My Heart Out For You", was recorded on March 11, along with
"Another Sleepless Night" for Neil's debut LP. Producers: Al Nevins, 
Don Kirshner and Chuck Sagle.  Location: RCA Victor Studio A, NYC. 

March 5, 1959: More recording activity for Neil Sedaka, as pianist on
"Dream Lover"/"Bullmoose" by BOBBY DARIN (released April 6, 1959, 
on Atco 6140). More info at: http://www.bobbydarin.net/sn_030559.html

March 6, 1959 : THE DRIFTERS have their first recording session in the 
new line-up (with Ben E. King), produced by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.
"There Goes My Baby"/"Oh My Love" becomes the new single (Atlantic
2025). "Baltimore" and "Hey Senorita" (with King Curtis on sax) would 
become the B-sides of "This Magic Moment" (Atlantic 2050) and "Lonely
Winds" (Atlantic 2062) respectively, both released in 1960.

March 7, 1959 : The third consecutive day of recording activity at Atlantic 
Studio in New York City. RUTH BROWN records two singles: "I Can't
Hear A Word You Say"/"Jack O'Diamonds" (Atlantic 2026) and "Papa Daddy"/
"I Don't Know" (Atlantic 2035). Production again by Leiber and Stoller.
Personnel includes the busy King Curtis on sax, Al Caiola on guitar and 
Mike Stoller on piano.

March 8, 1959 : VERNON TAYLOR lays down five songs at the Sun Studio
in Memphis: early versions of "Sweet and Easy To Love" and "Mystery Train"
(first released on Sun Box 106 in the mid-1980s), "Breeze" (unissued version),
"This Kinda Love" (released as a single in the 1970s, Sun 601, and also on
Sun LP 1031 by Charly), and an incomplete version of "What Would I Do
Without You". Production by Jack Clement.

March 10, 1959: The FIVE ROYALES record their next single, "Miracle Of
Love"/"I Know It's Hard, But It's Fair" in Cincinnati, for almost immediate
release on King 5191.

March 12, 1959: In Nashville, JOHNNY CASH records "I Got Stripes"/"Five
Feet High And Rising"(Columbia 41427, released in July 1959), "You Dreamer
You" (Columbia 41371, the flip of "Frankie's Man Johnny") and nine songs for
the Columbia  LP (CL 1339)  "Songs Of Our Soil" (which was reissued on CD
in 2002, with "I Got Stripes" and "You Dreamer You" as bonus tracks).
Producer : Don Law.

March 12, 1959 : LaVERN BAKER lays down "I Waited Too Long", soon
to be released on Atlantic 2021 (c/w the previously recorded "You're Teasing
Me"). The song's composer, Neil Sedaka, is among the session men, not on
piano this time, but on guitar. One other title was recorded (title unknown,
unissued). Production by Ahmet Ertegun and Jerry Wexler.

March 13, 1959 : Lots of recording activity for DUANE EDDY in March, at
Audio Recorders in Phoenix, Arizona. "Quiniela", "Only Child" and "Fuzz"
(all for his second LP, "Especially For You") are recorded on the 13th and
overdubbed by Plas Johnson (sax) on March 24 in L.A. "Peter Gunn" follows
on March 16 (in the UK this was lifted from the LP as a single, and after its
success there also in the US on Jamie 1168) and "Hard Times", "Trouble
In Mind" and "Along the Navajo Trail" on March 17. Four further LP tracks
on March 18: "Lover", "Tuxedo Junction", "Just Because" and "Along Came
Linda" (the last two overdubbed on March 24). The undubbed versions of the
singles "Forty Miles Of Bad Road"/"The Quiet Three" (Jamie 1126) and "Some
Kind-a Earthquake"/"First Love, First Tears" (Jamie 1130) were also recorded
during this week. Production by Lee Hazlewood and Lester Sill.

March 14, 1959 : THE CHAMPS record a cover of the Hot Toddys' "Rockin' 
Crickets" (unissued until the release of the "Wing Ding" CD on Ace 460 in
1993) and a few songs for their second LP ("Everybody's Rockin' With The
Champs"), though it's not quite clear which songs.

March 14, 1959 : CARL PERKINS is at Bradley Studio in Nashville with Don
Law (producer) and several members of the Nashville A-team. "Pointed Toe
Shoes"/"Highway Of Love" becomes the next single (Columbia 41379, for
release in April), followed by "One Ticket To Loneliness"/"I Don't See Me In
Your Eyes Anymore" (Columbia 41447, released in August). 

March 16, 1959 : In Nashville, DON GIBSON records two of his own songs
for his next single, "Lonesome Old House"/"I Couldn't Care Less" (RCA 47-
7505), for release in mid-April. There's also a first attempt at "Don't Tell Me
Your Troubles". Personnel: Chet Atkins (guitar, producer), Hank Garland and
Ray Edenton (guitars), Junior Huskey (bass), Floyd Cramer (piano), Buddy
Harman (drums) and the Jordanaires (vocal chorus).

March 22, 1959 : At 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, JERRY LEE LEWIS
records with Brad Suggs (guitar), Cliff Acred (bass) and Jimmy Van Eaton
(drums). "I Could Never Be Ashamed Of You" will become the B-side of 
"Little Queenie" (Sun 330) in September . "Hillbilly Music" (aka "Hillbilly 
Fever" and "Country Music Is Here To Stay") will find a place on Jerry's 
second LP in 1962. Several versions of "Near You" (instrumental) and "My 
Blue Heaven" are recorded, but stay in the can until the box-set age. Also,
there are nine early attempts at "Let's Talk About Us".

March 23, 1959: CONWAY TWITTY pays another visit to Bradley Studio in
Nashville. "Heavenly" (MGM 12804) and "Halfway To Heaven" (MGM 12826)
will serve as B-sides for "Mona Lisa" and "Danny Boy" respectively. "Just
Because" is an LP track and "Cry Jane Cry" was originally unissued (until
the appearance on the Bear Family LP BFX 15174). "Teasin'" was probably
also recorded in March and was released as MGM 12943 in September 1960.
Personnel includes Floyd Cramer on piano and Jack Nance on drums. 

Tuesday, March 24, 1959 : LARRY WILLIAMS records another single, "I Can't 
Stop Loving You"/"Steal A Little Kiss" (Specialty 665), for release in May. 
Backing includes Rene Hall on guitar, Earl Palmer on drums and Harold Battiste 
on alto sax.  On March 11, Larry had already recorded the LP track "Ting A Ling",
which was overdubbed with a vocal chorus (the Blossoms) on August 5, 1959.

March 26, 1959 : In New York City (Atlantic Studios) THE COASTERS record
the great double-sider "Along Came Jones"/"That Is Rock & Roll" (Atco 6141,
released in May). Personnel: Carl Gardner, Billy Guy, Will "Dub" Jones, Cornell
Gunter (vocals), Mike Stoller (piano, temple blocks), Alan Hanlon and Tony
Mottola (guitars), George Barnes (banjo), Wendell Marshall (bass), King Curtis
(tenor sax), Gary Chester (drums). Producers: Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller.

March 26, 1959 : On the same day, in Chicago, DEE CLARK has a session
which yields "Just Keep It Up"/"Whispering Grass" (Abner 1026) and the
A-side of the single after that, "Hey Little Girl" (Abner 1029).

Additions and corrections welcome.
 
Dik

In the can index